Obscured by Clouds. The rough and ready blog of a cloud benighted biologist and amateur astronomer. Astroblog will cover my interests in astronomy, biology and Life, the Universe and Everything.

Wednesday, May 03, 2017

Geomagnetic warning and Aurora Watch (3-5 May)

The SWS has issued a geomagnetic warning and an aurora watch for 3-5 May due to
a glancing blow from a coronal mass ejection. This is expected to arrive late in
the UT day on the 3rd (which is the morning of the 4th Australian time). If
these geomagnetic events occur and result in aurora they could be seen from
Tasmania and Southern Victoria, weather permitting . The Moon is approaching
first quarter, so should not interfere much with evening events, and leave the
mornings Moon free.

Be patient, as the activity may rise and fall of the
magnetic polarity of the wind may fluctuate significantly.

Dark sky sites
have the best chance of seeing anything, and always allow around 5 minutes for
your eyes to become dark adapted.

As always look to the south for shifting
red/green glows, beams have been reported consistently over the last few aurora,
as well as bright proton arcs and "picket fences".

A weak,
slow moving CME is expected to have a glancing impact on Earth in the later
half of UT day 03 May. There is a small chance of geomagnetic activity
reaching Minor Storm levels at high latitudes in the later half of the UT
day 03 May.

==============================================================SUBJ:
SWS AURORA WATCHISSUED AT 0458 UT ON 03 May 2017 by Space Weather
ServicesFROM THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE FORECAST CENTRE

A weak slow moving
coronal mass ejection is expected to have aglancing impact at Earth within
the next 48 hours, possibly resultingin minor geomagnetic activity. There is
a small chance of visibleauroras during local nighttime hours at high
latitudes on 03 May andpossibly 04 May. Aurora alerts will follow if
significant geomagneticactivity actually occurs.